Friday, 7 June 2013

How safe are India's roads?

Aftermath of a crash in India. Photo Copyright: iRAP

The answer: not very. But road fatalities and serious injuries on high risk roads could be reduced by up to 50% if safety 'star rating' recommendations are implemented on road infrastructure. This is the message of a new report from the International Road Assessment Programme which highlights the charity's work in India - the frontline of global road traffic deaths and injuries. The report details road assessments in seven Indian states, including Karnataka, where minimum '3 star' safety ratings to protect all road users - vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian - is being implemented on major roads. The report, produced with the support of iRAP's leading funding partners: Bloomberg Philanthropies, the FIA Foundation, the Global Road Safety Facility and the Road Safety Fund; can be downloaded here.